Rome Legal Issues Blog

Blood pressure medicines are being recalled

On behalf of The Finnell Firm posted in Medical Product Liability on Friday, December 7, 2018.

According to recent reports, several different types of blood pressure medication have been recalled over the course of the past several months. Concerningly, the list of medications subject to recall has continued to grow.

An ingredient in these recalled medications is Valsartan. When manufactured properly, Valsartan stops high blood pressure by preventing the body from producing a hormone that tightens the arteries. While this is generally a good thing, it means that someone in Valsartan cannot stop taking it suddenly, even in the face of a recall. Going cold turkey could mean an emergency spike in blood pressure.

The different types of temporary workers comp disability benefits

On behalf of The Finnell Firm posted in Workers' Compensation on Thursday, November 29, 2018.

As this blog has discussed previously, workers' compensation benefits are available to cover the medical bills and lost wages of Georgia workers who are hurt or get sick while on the job. The state's workers' compensation program offers different types of disability income, depending on the individual worker's situation.

For instance, a worker whose injury leaves them unable to work for the time being is eligible for temporary total disability benefits. As long as the worker's treating physician agrees that they cannot return to their job, they can get up to two-thirds of their wage, subject to certain statutory caps. Temporary total disability benefits are only available when one's injury keeps them out of work for more than seven days. Moreover, temporary benefits expire after 400 weeks in most cases.

IVC filters can cause severe medical problems

On behalf of The Finnell Firm posted in Medical Product Liability on Friday, November 23, 2018.

One medical problem that has plagued doctors and hospitals for decades is what to do about blood clots. Blood clots can form in the body for a number of reasons, and they are a particular problem when a patient has recently had surgery and is then not doing a lot of moving around while recovering.

Particularly if it gets in to one's vital organs, a blood clot can have a devastating or even deadly medical result. Not surprisingly, therefore, doctors make every reasonable effort they can to prevent them or reduce the threat.

Drinking and driving during the holiday season

On behalf of The Finnell Firm on Saturday, November 17, 2018.

As soon as the summer ends, we enter a string of holidays that makes the fall and beginning of winter fun and exciting. It's really a festive time for family and friends. The run of holidays lasts all the way until New Year's Day, when we move forward into the next year with those warm holiday memories now behind us.

Unfortunately, the holidays also bring an increase in drunk driving accidents. During this time for fun and good cheer, you may be facing dangers that could ruin the season for you or your family members.

Surgeon accidentally removes kidney in back surgery

On behalf of The Finnell Firm posted in Medical Malpractice on Thursday, November 15, 2018.

Although the incident happened in a neighboring state, a surgery gone wrong has attracted the attention of at least one Georgia media outlet located in Atlanta.

The story serves as an important reminder to doctors and patients alike that there simply is no such thing as a routine, textbook surgery, and physicians need to approach all of their procedures with an understanding that their patients are each unique.

Woman sues Bayer over birth control device

On behalf of The Finnell Firm posted in Medical Product Liability on Friday, November 9, 2018.

The safety of yet another birth control device, Mirena, is the subject of scrutiny after a woman filed suit against its manufacturer, Bayer, in federal court. The woman is seeking at least $75,000 compensation from the manufacturer. She alleges that Bayer was negligent and also stated several claims related to medical product liability.

The product, like other types of birth control, gets placed in to a woman's uterus. From there, it releases a drug designed to prevent pregnancy, and it can be effective for up to five years.

Even a safe drug is dangerous when mishandled

On behalf of The Finnell Firm posted in Medical Malpractice on Friday, November 2, 2018.

This blog has repeatedly reminded its Georgia that many, if not most, of the more powerful drugs and medications doctor prescribe and pharmacists dispense carry a lot of risk with them.

Although they can treat serious illnesses and chronic health problems, even drugs that are made safely and have adequate warning labels can still cause a lot of harm to patients in certain circumstances. This is the point in which a patient has to rely on his doctor to prescribe the right medication, warn the patient of the risks and alternatives, and make sure that the pharmacist and other medical professionals will administer the medication properly.

Georgia's new distracted driving law having positive impact

On behalf of The Finnell Firm posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Friday, October 26, 2018.

According to a recent report, Georgia's new tough measure against distracted driving is having a positive impact on traffic safety in this state.

For one, since the law was signed earlier this year, it seems that many motorist have got the message that authorities are watching for distracted driving behaviors, like texting and driving, and are willing to seek stiff penalties when they catch drivers in the act.

Dangerous highways crisscross Georgia

On behalf of The Finnell Firm posted in Motor Vehicle Accidents on Saturday, October 20, 2018.

Georgia is a major crossroads in the South since it has many nationally known Interstates and highways that cut through it. This means private citizens, as well as truckers and other commercial traffic, frequently pass through this state on route to their final destinations.

Unfortunately, some of these highways are famous, or rather infamous, for the wrong reasons. For example, Interstate 95, which passes through the eastern side of Georgia, is according to one report the fifth deadliest highway in the country, averaging .730 deaths per mile of highway. Other highways either in or very close to Georgia, such as Interstate 10, ranked among the deadliest highways in the country.

What makes Xarelto dangerous?

On behalf of The Finnell Firm on Thursday, October 18, 2018.

The medical community had high hopes for Xarelto when it was first introduced. As a blood thinner, it seemed to work exceedingly well. It stopped people from getting blood clots, which can be deadly. This included the traveling blood clots that pose such a significant danger. As a result, the medication made it less likely that someone would suffer from a stroke or deep vein thrombosis.

On top of that, Xarelto appeared to change the market because you only had to take one pill each day. This made it incredibly easy for people to use, and it still appeared to be just as effective as other options. People often prefer these once-a-day options -- just look at the way they choose their vitamins and supplements -- and so the drug became quite popular after getting FDA approval.